Oh, wow – the next month or so is going to be BUSY for most of us! ‘Tis the time for many-a concert, work party, school party, shopping adventure, baking extravaganza, decorating festival, Zoo Lights, snow fort building, and so forth. Various amounts of stress and fun can ensue. Let’s take care of one important thing that you might not realize should be on your list at this time of year! It’s a gift you’ve already been given, and may not realize: Your health insurance and benefits plans.

Many workplace health insurance and benefits plans have a renewal date of December 31 – this means that if we don’t use it, we usually lose it. Let’s see if we can maximize the money to which you are entitled – you’ve worked very hard, and it’s part of your overall compensation package.

A few things to consider:

Check with your insurer – Let’s find out the following details to make sure we maximize your coverage

      • Who is covered (sometimes coverage can be shared amongst family member)
      • How much (aggregate – per year)
      • How much (per session/report-writing hour)
      • Percentage and/or maximum covered (per session/report-writing hour)
      • How much you have remaining for the year
      • Confirm your actual plan-end date (some companies do different months, though most do calendar year as the benefits year)

Reach out to book – November and December fill up extremely quickly, but Pinnacle Psych reserves weekend spots for testing sessions and for intensives, so we can make sure we gather the data and do the work we need before midnight on December 31.

Direct Billing – At Pinnacle Psych, we can direct-bill to most insurers (though some do not allow Psychologists to direct-bill just yet). For those who don’t allow direct-billing (i.e., SunLife, Manulife), we will provide you with detailed receipts promptly, so you can submit on your end. You can also claim our services as a tax-deductible medical expense on your upcoming tax return.

What we can accomplish together:

      • Intensives – Intensives are a fantastic way to maximize benefits and catalyze momentum and change. Many topics can be explored, which can help to achieve results and relief more quickly than counselling that is more spaced out between sessions.
      • Assessment – Pinnacle Psych offers many types of assessments, including Psychoeducational, Social/Emotional/Behavioural, and Substance Use. We can evaluate learning profiles, mental-health struggles, and substance-use issues to see what supports might be needed and how to navigate these types of concerns. We can also offer the follow-up counselling that might be required/suggested.
      • Holiday preparation – As we are all well aware, the holiday season can mean A LOT of things for many of us. Family dynamics can be tricky, sometimes leading to anticipatory anxiety or damage control. Let’s see what we can mitigate on our end to make the holidays go a bit more smoothly.

Reach out to Kathleen at Pinnacle Psych today, to see what options you have to maximize your benefits and get some traction. As for scheduling, we will figure it out and get it done.

Let’s get gritty with Pinnacle Psych.